Search
Resorts & LodgesVacation RentalsDeals & PackagesTravel Guides
List Your Property

Come Experience One of America's Largest Electronic Music Celebrations

Named by Money Magazine as one of the “Five Best Big Cities in the United States,” Tampa offers something for every visitor. The city has undergone a renaissance over the past two decades, introducing a variety of new restaurants, shops, cultural attractions, and entertainment venues. With attractions such as the Tampa Riverwalk, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Tampa Museum of Art, no one will leave disappointed.

 

The Sunset Music Festival has established itself as one of Florida's top events in only six years, and will take place May 27-28, at Raymond James Stadium in Northwest Tampa. The event is one of the largest electronic music festivals in America and organizers anticipate more than 60,000 attendees. It will feature more than 40 electronic music acts including Major Lazer, RL Grime, Above & Beyond, and Zeds Dead. Attendees will encounter vendors selling meals, snacks, and drinks, plus water stations at points across the venue. Bars will sell a variety of alcoholic beverages, and a general store will feature items attendees may have forgotten at home like eyedrops and sunscreen. We got the chance to interview Evan Bailey, Vice President of Disco Donnie Presents, to learn more about this massive electronic music experience.

 

RAL: How many annual participants do you draw?

EB: Now in its sixth consecutive year, Sunset Music Festival has witnessed explosive growth to firmly position itself as one of the largest electronic music festivals in the United States. The

2016 edition housed 60,000 dance fans for a raucous Memorial Day weekend celebration.

 

RAL: Tell me a bit about the event.

EB: The event started modestly on a single small “Stageline” stage with a couple of scrims on either side, combined with a small side stage of local artists, if I recall. As I flip back through the fliers or photos, it’s incredible to watch the development of the other stages and their production, as well as the associated crowd sizes. We’ve done a lot of work adding improvements to the site plan over the years, such as expanded stage production, cool down mazes, photo booths, vendors, and larger and improved VIP areas.

 

RAL: How did it start?

EB: Sunset Music Festival (SMF) was the product of our fantastic long-time partnership with Tampa’s Sunset Events. Together with John Santoro (of Sunset), we’ve produced hundreds of shows in the Tampa market for 15 years or so. So the genesis of SMF was a natural extension of our knowledge of and love for the Tampa market. John had initially produced Sunset Music Festival twice in 2006 and 2007, but together we partnered on the event in 2012 and have run it continuously since. Overall, we felt the central Florida market deserved and was ready for a substantial regional festival and Raymond James Stadium provided a perfect location to grow the event in the long-run.

 

RAL: What makes the event unique?

EB: SMF is a bit different from other festivals in the sense that our talent buyers place emphasis on thoughtful curation informed not only by regional tastes but also with an ear towards presenting the sounds of tomorrow. In other words, the SMF lineup features larger artists Tampa’s fans love, but our talent curators have a solid track record of introducing artists to the region, who within a year of two have much, much larger followings.

 

RAL: What is new this year at the event?

EB: SMF has grown quickly over the past seven years, and we’re finally expanding the site footprint for the festival in 2017. Besides the larger location, we’re working closely with our partner, Bud Light Lime, to build out the festival space in exciting new ways regarding shade, water, art and other activities. Last year we brought the festival production out into the crowd in various ways, and it’s a theme we’re planning on expanding upon in 2017.

 

RAL: Do you have any advice for attendees?

EB: Tips on how to survive two full days of non-stop electronic music:

  • Above all, focus on taking care of yourself

  • Stay hydrated

  • Get plenty of rest

  • Eat plenty of food

  • Take breaks and don’t push yourself too hard. Your safety is more important than anything.

 

For more information about the Sunset Music Festival, please visit the event website.